Minutes To Midnight
by Sweetnevermore
Summary: Sequel. 'Robin we can't do this, we don't have enough time.' Starfire said, tears in her eyes. 'We need to save the city Star, with or without Beast Boy and Raven.' He said bitterly. Can Beast Boy and Raven's relationship stand the ultimate test of time?
1. Chapter 1

(A/N: Okay, my computer died on me in June, (back up your files!!) so in this story, please forgive any mistakes, I'm so sorry about the wait, but I hope you enjoy the next story! OOO this was inspired by a few songs, and maybe if you want... I could put together the "Minutes to Midnight Soundtrack" OMG! Isn't that exciting?? Lol w/e, I did so much research for this story, i went to sites to find Villains, to find heroes, to find out how the characters talked sobs , well i hope you like it and we'll see how good this goes...

Dedication- everyone who supported and loved Chance)

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_Ignorance is bliss... _

Like so many other villains in the world, something in him snapped, it snapped long ago. Childhood neglect, traumatizing experiences, loss of loved ones, or something not right in their head, they were insane. Insane with power, wealth, hate, nothing mattered to them except themselves. They might possibly team up with other villains to take down a common enemy, but other then that, most villains were solitary and the more lonely they were, it seemed the more diabolical they were. He chuckled softly.

Everyone in that room was insane in some way, some of the younger ones didn't even realize it. They were probably only in it for the profit, the title of being categorized as "a villain". Behind his mask, he closed his eyes and spoke. "I believe we have the Titans exactly where we want them." Slade's smooth voice echoed in the dark room as he sat with his legs crossed on a big leather chair, his fingers folded in front of where his mouth should be, his elbows propped lazily on the arms of the chair. There was that carefully planned out facade he had put up years ago that he was calm, cool, collected, _calculated_. "From what I understand, things are going quite according to plan. Raven and Beast Boy are completely out of the pict-" He started but was interrupted by the deep voice of Monsieur Mallah.

"That hasn't been confirmed." He cut in icily, taking a sip of tea from a tiny tea cup.

"It would be pretty amazing if they lived," Madame Rouge chuckled quietly. "considering the bomb was two feet away from them when I jumped." Madame Rouge said in her deep accented voice, she examined her nails when her eyes snapped up to glare at the two ready-to-quarrel super villains.

"Wow, it seems like you two are having a lovers quarrel." Fang joked as he sat seductively on a nearby chair next to Killer Moth. Monsieur Mallah narrowed his eyes as he snapped his gaze towards the teen with the spider head.

"I would be quiet if you were you, or I'll send you back to the _circus_ you came from." Slade almost growled as he gripped the edges of his chair, but he relaxed, he had kept his cool for so long, it would have been a waste if he exposed himself over some useless teenaged brat.

He smiled underneath his mask, his insanity was his "personality". Everything he did, he had premeditated. From targeting the Titans in the first place, to Robin being his apprentice, to Terra being his apprentice, to his fellowship of Trigon. Each of those acts had put him on a pedestal of absolute evil.

At first, he wanted the Titans out of the way so he could make a living as a criminal, but then, he became fascinated by them. How unlikely they were together. An alien princess with a kind heart and a hidden temper. A scientific accident caused by his parents, but was still a knuckled-headed shape shifter. A freak accident caused one to lose his body parts, having them replaced with robotic limbs, running away from his football scholarship and popularity. A half-demon, turned away by her human mother, scorned and needed by her demonic father, had a yearning to be loved. And the Boy Wonder who rebelled against his superhero master, wanting to become a solo hero, who had a clouded past. He sighed as he became lost in his thought, ignoring the trivial arguments of the other villains. Then again, he thought, the Teen Titans were also his insanity.

"Che." Fang hissed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"Those pit-sniffers had no idea what was coming!" Gizmo's laugh echoed as Mammoth nodded in agreement.

"Why didn't we get to go out and fight?" See-more motioned at himself and Kid Wykkyd.

"Yeah, why didn't I?" Billy Numerous shouted obnoxiously. A few more villains agreed with them as a quiet hum filled the room.

"We will take this- one step- at a time." Brain's robotic voice said loudly. "You villains, were not needed- yet." The Brain explained. "This time- the Titans will have no chance at defeating us. The plan is fool-proof."

"They only have minutes until midnight." Madame Rouge smiled evilly as the enormous group of villains cheered in the background.

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When Robin and Starfire made it to the Tower, Cyborg was already there, sitting on the couch, staring out into the bay. "Friends Beast Boy and Raven are not here?" She questioned with tears in her eyes, her hands folded under her chin.

Cyborg shook his head, not bothering to get up. "I couldn't reach them. It was static." he said solemnly, grimacing at the ground.

"Damn it!" Robin hissed as he slammed his fist into the wall near the door, causing a small dent to appear. He stormed down the steps and was pacing the floor.

"Robin-" Starfire started, but she stopped, her lips forming a thin line.

"This is all my fault." He growled as Cyborg stood up and walked over to him. "How could I have been so stupid?!" He roared angrily as he paced the floor, his feet pounding as he went.

"Dude, it's not _your_ fault," Cyborg then pointed to Starfire and himself. "we all decided to do this. None of us- we didn't notice." Cyborg said, placing a hand on Robin's shoulder, trying to calm the Boy Wonder down.

"Beast Boy and Raven are dead because of me!" He shouted, his blue eyes glaring angrily up at Cyborg. "Dead." He then bit his tongue angrily, the taste of blood filling his mouth.

"_Shut up_." Cyborg hissed angrily as he quickly removed his hand from Robin's shoulder, running his hand over his head. Then he pointed at Robin. "They're not dead."

"Do not say that!" Starfire sobbed angrily as she hugged her self. Looking at the ground. "Friends Raven and Beast Boy are not dead!" She cried as Robin stood angrily before her, turning his head to look out the window, he could still see the smoke from the explosion from their two apartments in the east.

"Don't cry Star, come on, they're fine." Cyborg put an arm around her shoulders, reassuring her as he glared at Robin's back. "It's Raven, she's probably sending death glares at Beast Boy already." He said, trying to lighten the mood as he ran his hand up and down her arm to try and comfort her, but she only cried harder. "What is your problem?" Cyborg finally snapped as Starfire looked up at Robin with teary eyes.

Robin paused, sighing as he looked out the huge windows onto the bay, his hand gripping the side of a computer chair uneasily. "Two of my team members are dead because of me." he seethed as he didn't look at the two. How could that have happened? He was supposed to be the best, he was supposed to have control on things. He was supposed to be the leader, the guy that everybody looked up to. Now he failed his entire team? He snapped his eyes shut angrily.

"Team members? Really Robin is that what you refer to them as? Just team members? And they're _not_ dead!" Cyborg lashed out angrily.

"I'm _trying_ to stay under control." Robin said quietly, his shoulders slowly creeping up to his ears. "DAMNIT!" He screamed furiously as he picked up a chair from one of the computers and threw it across the room, it smashed into the wall, breaking into pieces, leaving the wall broken and pieces of dry wall fell onto the floor.

"Robin-" Starfire chocked back a sob. "Robin please. Do not blame yourself." She said, stepping away from Cyborg and reaching out to Robin, who was breathing heavily, his fists shaking. Gulping, she hesitated when she reached an arm out to him. _I'm afraid of him._ She quickly shoved that thought out of her mind as she again, reached out and wrapped her arms around him and he inhaled sharply. He slowly brought his arms up around her and she cried. "I believe Raven and Beast Boy are okay." She said quietly, stroking the back of his head.

A few moments passed before either of them said anything, but then Robin finally spoke, his face buried in Starfire's hair, his arms around her holding her tightly to him. "I wish I could believe it too."

The two parted and Starfire looked at the ground, closing her eyes as she backed up to the couch, sitting down, combing her fingers through her hair nervously. Robin looked up at Cyborg, shamefully looking down. "Cy, you know you- you guys are my family." He swallowed when Cyborg's chocolate eyes looked down at Robin with a smile.

"Yeah, I know." He said, placing a hand on Robin's shoulders. "It's just this whole thing is-- unreal." Cyborg reasoned and Robin nodded, running his hand through his hair uneasily.

They stood like that for a few minutes. "Um," Taking a breath he plunged into uneasy waters. "Cy, I-I heard about the murder of your friend... Are you okay-" Robin started, but Cyborg stepped away from him quickly, smiling.

"Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Don't worry about me dude, I'm fine. It was-- surprising, but I'm okay." Cyborg said, trying to reassure Robin that he was fine. The truth was, he wasn't fine, he was far from it. He wanted to strangle the little weasel who did it to her. Gizmo was a villain, he knew that, and villains did bad things. But he would never have thought that Gizmo would _murder_ someone. Maybe he was naive in that point. Maybe he had underestimated the potential of these villains. That they would totally demolish someone for there sick game. But he didn't want to think about Sam anymore. He wasn't Victor anymore, he was Cyborg now, and Cyborg didn't know a Samantha. "We-we should go find them." Robin realized that Cyborg was talking about Beast Boy and Raven.

"No, we'll wait longer..." Robin said, his mood slowly changing.

"But Rob-" Starfire started, wiping a tear with her sleeve.

"We'll wait a little longer," His voice became tight. "They'd know to come here."

A few minutes of quiet went between the three remaining Titans. Starfire's eyelids heavy with drowsiness, she blinked a few times when Cyborg spoke again.

"How did we go three months with out knowing?" He stared out blankly into the bay, a boats' lights shone brightly as it sailed peacefully across the bay. Robin wished he was on that boat at that moment. That he didn't have such a big responsibility. A guy his age was stressing out over college applications, girlfriends, the next big football game. He felt a pit in the bottom of his stomach, he'd never been to a football game before, and he desperately wanted to be a normal guy. A normal guy who was able to go anywhere they wanted, at anytime. There was nothing more that he wanted at that moment then to be a guy on that boat, not having to worry about the safety of the thousands of people in Jump City.

"I don't know. Who-who could have given us away?" Robin grimaced and his eyes widened in realization.

"The designers?" Cyborg asked, his eyes growing wide.

"The mayor?" Starfire's drowsy eyes widened, when she covered her mouth. "It couldn't be, they wouldn't!" She protested, looking at Robin for an answer.

Robin dropped his head in defeat. "What does it matter now? We can't do anything about that now." Robin sighed as he sat down on the couch, running his hands over his head.

"How much longer must we wait for them?" Starfire questioned as she yawned.

"They'll show up soon." Cyborg tried to reassure himself, along with Starfire. "Soon." He said again.

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"What about the other Titans? Like the Titan's East? And the honorary Titans?" Slade asked, looking up at the Brain, who was elevated above all of the other villains in the room.

"Thank you for asking. With Phase one of the plan complete, Phase Two will begin now." The Brain's wheels turned him to face a large group of villains, Slade noticed. "Your respected flights are leaving momentarily. But first, a briefing." Slade looked over at the large group. He recognized a few, but didn't know them personally. Johnny Rancid, Mad Mod, Psimon, Cinderblock, Adonis, and more.

"The Rules for your mission are quite simple." General Immortus called out. "Destroy their communicator's "unintentionally", get to them at all costs, but make it look like an accident." He explained with a smirk on his face.

"Keep them where ever they are for as long as possible, if not, ruin all means of transportation and communication. We are keeping them on the farthest parts of the globe, so there is no chance of them coming to aid the Titans." Madame Rouge explained, glaring at all of the villains before her. "You villains know your hero's that you must fight, and those of you who have the "special hero's" know what to do with them."

"Third, injure them as much as possible without killing them. We want them to see the demise of the original Titans first." Monsieur Mallah said in his deep voice.

"But--- haven't we tried this before? And shoo, it didn't work!" Ding Dong Daddy exclaimed. "Why would this one work?" He asked cockily as he crossed his arms over his chest.

A moment of silence came over the whole room. Villains eyes were going from Ding Dong Daddy to the Brotherhood, from Daddy to the Brotherhood. "...Take him." The Brain's voice echoed out when General Immortus raised his hand simply. A huge group of men with guns came out from all of the exits, closing in on Ding Dong Daddy and dragging him out of the room, yelling and screaming. The huge doors the soldiers came out of slammed shut with a satisfying banging noise. "I suggest that no one else makes a comment about the plan."

"You're dismissed. Good luck." Monsieur Mallah sent the villains off to the landing pad where many small rockets and aircrafts were located.

"Slade, Madame Rouge, Kid Wykkyd, you know your mission. Go." Was all that Brain said, and with a nod from Madame Rouge to Kid Wykkyd and Slade, the three disappeared in Kid Wykkyd's dark magic. "Monsieur Mallah." The Brain commanded of his trusted sidekick.

"Yes Master?" The ape asked as he approached The Brain.

"I believe that this plan will succeed."

"As do I Master."

"The Titans think they know what is going on, but they don't. They've been naive all of these years, thinking we've disappeared and have gone, but their world is going to fall apart, no Titan will be safe." A huge screen filled with pictures of every Titan, then of Jump City and the United States. "No one, will be safe."

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Starfire desperately wanted to drop her angel-like reputation and grab the remote out of Cyborg's brown, metal fingers, and hurtle the remote into the TV so they didn't have to watch the news report that was ripping Robin apart. She could see it in his face, the way he was gripping onto the edge of the couch. The way his eyebrows were nearly touching in the middle of his forehead. They way he was glaring so angrily at the television that it looked like he would explode. "The city is up in arms, with the enormous commotion of a second explosion on Brushwood Street. Many common criminals are making their ways across town. Three banks and one jewelry store have already reported robberies and-" Starfire thanked God that Cyborg had finally turned off the television.

"Geez-" He started when Robin violently stood up and walked over to the kitchen.

Cyborg and Starfire sat there for a moment in silence before Cyborg looked over at her. "So, are you guys still together?" he questioned awkwardly, but only so Starfire could hear. Starfire looked up from her lap sadly and looked at him, and her eyes were full of doubt, confusion and sorrow. He opened his mouth to say something else, but he wasn't sure what to say.

"I am--- worried about him." She said so softly, it was barely audible. "More then worried." She gulped as she stared at the coffee table. Cyborg looked at her pained. Starfire was his family, and it hurt to see her like this, worried over Robin. He sighed and folded his fingers across his lap.

"I know I'd feel a hell of a lot better if BB and Raven were here." he said quietly as he offered an awkward smile.

Suddenly, the ceiling exploded with an enormous bang. "Starfire!" Robin yelled as he found Starfire and Cyborg over, unharmed in the corner.

"Robin!" She said, breathing heavily as she stared at him from across the room. His eyes immediately snapped up to the gapping hole in the roof. Smirking down at him was Slade, Madame Rouge and Kid Wykkyd.

"Slade!" Robin growled as Starfire flew over, grasping his and Cyborg's hands as she pulled them up through the hole onto the roof. She placed Robin and Cyborg down on the other side of the hole that the villains were on. Robin immediately readied himself for a full-on brawl.

"Ah, sorry my boy," Slade started, putting his hands out in front of him. "We didn't come here for that. But I see you're still as ruthless as ever. And from what I can see, you still destroy what you care about." He gestured towards a broken looking Starfire. Her eyes widened at him as she grimaced.

_Easy Robin. Don't let him get you. _Cyborg pleaded inwardly. "Then what are you here for?" Cyborg cut in icily, his eyes looking over Kid Wykkyd who was floating ominously in the background.

"We thought it would be fair if we told you our plan." Madame Rouge said, her icy eyes boring holes into Starfire's.

"Nice of you." Cyborg glared, looking sideways, seeing Robin's hand flexing and un-flexing.

"Hidden deep in Jump City is a Chronotron detonator, large enough to stop time for all of the United States and parts of Mexico." Madame Rouge smiled evilly.

"Not again." Cyborg said uneasily. Robin grit his teeth.

"It is hidden so strategically, you will never find it." Madame Rouge smirked.

"Why are you telling us this?" Robin demanded, his eyes scanning his surroundings, looking for any sort of weapon.

"Considering the world is run by corrupt, uncaring people... Why not have the best?" Madame Rouge smirked. "We'd like you to be informed."

"You're not going to get away with it, there are too many of us hero's, and not enough of you villains." Robin said, his eyes narrowing at Slade.

Ignoring him, Madame Rouge continued. "But, who is stopping us? We can easily take out normal people... We just need you superheroes out of the way. With most of the older ones like Batman, Wonder Woman, the _Doom Patrol,_" She hissed the name unnecessarily. "Superman, and the Green Lantern either too old, sick, dead, or-" She gave Robin a look. "Taken care of, all that's left is you."

"The detonator will explode at midnight tomorrow. Exactly twenty-four hours from now, Jump City will be no more." Slade smiled under his mask.

"You can't do this!" Robin shouted angrily, his fists clenched so tightly, blood dripped from his hands from his nails digging into the skin.

"I believe we can and we are. I suggest that you don't do anything rash, or we'll only kill you sooner."

"We are going to find it and we'll take you down." Robin grit his teeth, his breathing becoming raged.

"We've done this once before Robin, and we'll do it again, only this time, we'll win." Slade said lazily as he unfolded his arms. A nod in Kid Wykkyd's direction and he stepped forward.

"Well, I suggest you get started, you have twenty-three hours and fifty six minutes to go." Madame Rouge chuckled as Kid Wykkyd enveloped them in his dark magic and they disappeared off of the Tower's roof.

"We need to split up and search the city. Starfire take the east side, Cy-" Robin started spouting out demands as he jumped down through the hole in the ceiling, landing gracefully on the ground.

"Whoa now Robin, what about BB and Raven?" Cyborg interrupted as Starfire placed him gently on the ground. Robin had disappeared into his room, the two followed him back there, when the door opened, it showed Robin's back.

"Robin, I don't think we can do this." Starfire said with tears in her eyes as she started at the back of the Boy wonder. "Not without friends Raven and Beast Boy-- we don't have enough time." She bit her lip as her eyes met Cyborg's in a desperate attempt to try and reason with Robin.

"Robin, what about BB and-" Cyborg repeated, but Robin turned around, his mask covering his eyes.

"We have to do it without them." He snapped angrily, his eyebrows furrowing in the center. "We need to save the city first. You have three minutes to get ready." he turned without another word, the door closing in Cyborg and Starfire's faces.

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"The detonator is in place?" Slade asked Kid Wykkyd before they entered the lair. A simple nod from Kid Wykkyd and the two super villains smiled proudly. "_Perfect_."

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"You're a couple huh?" Cyborg said bitterly, his eyes looking at the ground.

Starfire took a deep breath and looked at Cyborg sadly. "I don't think he'd forgive himself if the city was harmed."

"What about you?" Cyborg asked, taking her shoulders in his hands, making her face him.

"I don't understand." She whispered, staring up at Cyborg.

"Even Slade said it." Cyborg explained. "What would he do if you were hurt?"

Her eyes widened as he let go over her, walking to his room, she whispered. "I don't know."

Staring into her mirror as she placed her gloves on, she wondered about Robin. Was it worth the heartbreak if he was two different people? But, he really didn't mean to hurt her, he cared for her. The past three months were not a waste. She tried to convince herself as she looked in the mirror, rubbing off the eye make up that made her eyebrows look human. She pressed her lips together sadly as she remembered the picture on her nightstand. It was a recent picture of the two of them at a park. Robin asked a little boy to take the picture, and when the boy counted to three, Robin pressed his lips in her ear, causing her to laugh. The picture showed her smiling and Robin smiling into this kiss. The picture was so romantic, and now it was lost forever now in the explosion, probably along with the boy in the picture.

Sighing, she entered the common room. Greeted by an old familiar face was Cyborg's metallic face and his red eye. He was calling into his communicator for Beast Boy, then Raven. But it was static that responded.

"Here's the plan, we'll separate, Star you take the east, Cyborg take the north and I'll take the South and west. Look everywhere, leave no place un-inspected." Cyborg and Starfire nodded. "Let's go."

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"I'm putting my money on exhaustion, Bird Boy's not going to let them sleep, and we'll totally dominate." Johnny Rancid nodded his head in satisfaction.

"Psh, I'm surprised you thought of that on your own, you dope." Blackfire retorted from her perch on a huge chair. Gizmo laughed obnoxiously with other villains. "Or did you con little Tiny over there to think it for you?" She jabbed her thumb in the direction of Gizmo with a cocky smile.

"Why you-" Johnny Rancid started angrily, getting up and trying to intimidate Blackfire.

Slade just entered the room and was watching the quarrel from a distance. They were obviously bored, Blackfire, Starfire's sister obviously, was looking for a fight and the brute wasn't smart enough to think of a decent comeback.

"Hey, who are you calling Tiny?! FAT LEGS!" Gizmo hollered.

"Fat legs?!" Blackfire roared, her eyes turning bright violet.

"ENOUGH!" Madame Rouge yelled angrily. "You sicken me. Get ready second group for the second part of Phase 2." She instructed, walking away. The villains cowered, but for only a moment, then, the majority of what was left went to the transportation deck. "Imbeciles." She whispered and walked past Slade towards General Immortus, The Brain, and Monsieur Mallah.

"Do you really think Beast Boy and Raven are dead? The news report said they were missing, the bodies were not found. Great work Rouge." General Immortus sent Madame Rouge a look and she glared at him.

"Those reports are hardly accurate this early..." Mallah said, moving a chess piece across the board.

"There is a slim chance that the little green one and his team mate might still be alive, but we will find out soon, and when we find them, we'll kill them." Brain responded, a piece moved on its own. Mallah's eyes widened slightly. "Checkmate."

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_Pain_.

That was the only word that came to mind when he thought about how to describe what he was feeling. It was familiar, he'd gotten hurt hundreds of times, but this time, it hurt like hell. His muscles burned, and his body felt stiff. His eyes were closed and he grit his teeth. All he wanted to do was lay here, it felt warm, like the sun was shining on him, but it wasn't bright out. He smiled, despite the pain, since part of his DNA was animal, he always enjoyed the sun, the warmth it gave. But it was quiet, way to quiet to be in Jump Ci-

"RAVEN!" His eyes flew open when he realized what just happened. He sat up, causing his sight to blur. "Raven!" He called out, then he froze as he looked at his surrounds. "I am definitely not in Jump City anymore." Then he clutched his stomach as fire spread through his abdomen. Spurts of air left his lungs as he coughed, trying to get as much air as he could in one quick breath. He lifted his shirt, but nothing was on his skin. He started breathing heavily. "Raven?" He called out again, scanning the barren landscape. Dusty grounds that weaved throughout the dark sky, black birds with red eyes perched in the twisted leafless trees. He stood up and dusted off his pants, worry spreading through him. He was in Raven's mind, but one thing was missing.

Where was Raven?

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(A/N: hope everyone enjoyed this! I'm hoping this is as big a success as Chance was! BTW, who knew that Kid Wykkyd spelled his name like that? I was almost all the way done with the chapter, and I went to titans go . Net and saw that they spelled it like that, so yeah, hope you enjoyed!

swn


	2. Chapter 2

(A/n: thanks to all who reviewed, I appreciate that people take the time to write reviews, it makes me want to write more 3, but anywho, I had a major blow to my writing ego, my sister told me that I should have stopped at Chance... And I'm hoping she's not right, and that a lot of people like this, soooo Here is the next chapter! Sorry for the uber long wait, school was a lot more hectic then I imagined...

Btw, the stories start out with a song, and this song was 'The boy who blocked his own Shot: Brand New', and the last was Never Again from Kelly Clarkson...

_

* * *

You are secondhand smoke..._

_"Raven!" _Beast Boy called franticly. A shiver sped up his spine causing the hair on his arms to stand up. He shook it off but continued looking around. "Raven!" He called louder as he found a little voice in the back of his head reminding him, _no one was going to hear him._ He had been in Raven's mind before, once, about three years ago. But at least then he was with Cyborg. Gulping, he made his way down the twisted dirt path, eyeing the scenery.

At least things in her mind had lightened up a bit. He noticed as the sky wasn't nearly as dark as he remembered. He winced again, holding his stomach. What had happened? He hadn't remembered anything. But he did remember Raven's shrill scream and the force of being jerked back, and then nothing.

Nada. Zip. Completely nothing, then all of a sudden he finds himself laying in a dirt pit, rippling pain shooting through him and he's in Raven's mind, and he has no idea a.) how he got there in the first place, and b.) where Raven was.

Exhaling, the pain went away and he stretched an arm behind his head. The red-eyes birds cawed ominously a few feet behind him, following behind him on foot. Beast Boy remembered what his dad had told him once, it took a real man to admit he was scared.

And he was on the borderline of scared. He was nervous more then anything. Although, he was in a position that _was _what most guys wanted. An inside look into a girls mind, because frankly, girls are way too hard to understand on a normal basis. But this wasn't any girls mind... Oh no, this was Raven's mind, and like she said before, there were things in her mind that did not need to be explored or talked about. "Raven!" He called out, looking down at his hand, he saw the holographic ring and he sighed. "Why bother?" he muttered to himself as he slid off the ring from a long finger.

The hologram flattered, but he was still 'normal'.

"Why bother?! Are you kidding me!"

It would have scared the shit out of anybody if an alter-ego of their girlfriend popped out of nowhere. So it was a good excuse as to why Beast Boy shrieked, caught his left foot on the back of his right heel and fell backwards, causing dust to fly up. The voice laughed, and then offered a small gray colored hand out to him. "Beast Boy, come on! 'Why bother?' Psh, you're a babe!" With a wink the pink caped Raven urged her hand forward. He took hold of it and he hoisted himself up.

"Thanks Happy." He said, dusting off his pants as he looked at her questioningly.

"You remember me! Oh this means a lot!" She smiled at him, and he continued to look at her. "... What? I have something in my teeth?" She cocked her head to the side as she looked at him with an eerie smile.

"Where's Raven?" He asked exasperatedly, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Hold your horses silly, it's been a while, come visit. Alllll of the girls want to SEEEEEE YOU!" She sang the last part as she did a moon walk a few feet down the path. "Besides, it's a secret." She giggled as she skipped down the path.

"Happy-" he started sternly, but she was too far from him and his paranoia about being alone in Raven's mind kicked in and he jogged down after her. "What do you mean it's a secret??!" He demanded as he almost decapitated himself on a low hanging branch.

* * *

Cyborg headed north in the T-car while Robin sped down the highway going southwest. Starfire was left standing on the pitiful rock they called an island, staring at them then looked into the sky, desperately wishing she could fly. But right now, she couldn't. It took all the strength and energy she had to think of something happy while she was flying with Robin on their way to the Tower earlier. They had already wasted enough time, and she was holding them back. She let the boys go first, knowing that if they saw she couldn't fly, they would be disappointed, and she wouldn't be able to complete the task. Robin would be upset with her and he wouldn't be able to carry out the mission properly.

"I'm so sorry Robin." She whispered as she bent her knees, thinking of how nice it would be if none of this had happened, if she were just sitting in her room now, reading one of Raven's romance novels in bed. As she pushed off the ground, nothing happened. No wind in her hair or clouds touching her cheeks, just dirt under her boots.

She bit her lip, closing her eyes. Taking a deep breath, she tried again. Thinking about world peace and an end to world hunger. She pushed off again, but she went nowhere. Failing wasn't something she had grown accustomed to.

She was close to tears as she tried for one last time. "The team together again." The words barely left her lips as she felt her feet lift off the ground. She smiled slightly and zoomed off into the east. Hoping that her forced happiness wouldn't end soon.

* * *

There wasn't a perfect word to describe what Robin was feeling right now. Anger, frustration, nervous, tired, hungry, sad and most importantly, terrified. His breath was so fast it felt like he was on drugs, his mind was speeding and all of the things around him seemed blurred. The Titans had defeated the Brotherhood of Evil once before, but he doubted that they could do it again. He urged the R Cycle to go faster, he was whizzing in-between cars and dodging pedestrians as they looked at him; frightened as he zipped by.

But in the blur of everything, something caught his eye. A small television screen in a little library/coffee shop. He didn't even bother parking his bike, he let it fall to the ground and walked into the store, the bell jingling as he walked right up to the girl who was crying as she was watching the news. She gasped as she looked at him, wiping her eyes, her many bracelets clanged together.

"You're Robin right?" She said hopeful, her zebra stripped glasses sitting on top of her head, between two buns. She gasped in recognition. "Please, you need to find my friend! Ravie- Raven Roth, she was in the apartment fire. I don't know if she's alive. Can you find her?" She begged, her voice cracking, but Robin was staring intently at the television.

"Breaking News, reports have been confirmed that the gruesome, yet mysterious murders of three superheroes occurred earlier this morning. Wildebeast," His picture flashed before Robin's eyes as the newswoman reported.

"This is surreal." He almost wheezed as the girl in the shop looked at him.

"You can't find my friend Rae?!" She cried, but he barely heard her as the newswoman kept reading off names.

"Pantha and Red Star. Though not found together, they're bodies were found on three different countries. In other news, police and fire police are still trying to find the cause of the apartment fire-"

"Some superhero you are! You won't even help me!" The girl cried as she slouched on the stool behind the counter.

He turned his head in her direction, just looking at her. She was Raven's coworker, Raven had worked here, and he never knew it. Watching this girl, he could see that Raven had befriended her and that this girl cared for Raven. But he had bigger problems, like saving the city. "I'm sorry." He whispered harshly and slipped his helmet back on his head, storming out of the store.

"Cyborg." Robin lifted his communicator to his lips. "Come in Cyborg."

The communicator's static came, but he saw Cyborg's face. "I know about Wildebeast and the others." His face was grim. Somehow Cyborg could tell that Robin had already known.

"Contact the Titan's East, tell them to be on their guard. Tell them we know who's behind it, don't trust anybody. Over." He shoved the communicator back into his utility belt and looked up at the dark sky.

"Is this punishment?" He commented quietly as he closed his masked eyes. "For leaving Batman? For taking this opportunity? For living this way?" He said and his chest felt heavy as he straddled his bike. "it's for hurting Star isn't it?" He revved up the engine and raced onto the crowded night streets of Jump. "It's for not helping that girl?" Over the roar of his booming engine, he yelled angrily. "It's for not helping my team!" He screamed loudly, gripping the handle bars until his knuckles hurt, but no one heard him.

* * *

"Ow." She said, barely audible as she lay there with her eyes closed. Her whole body tingled and hurt. It felt like her head was about to explode as she slowly lifted her hand to her temple. 'What happened?' She thought and tried hard to think about what had happened to make her feel like her skin was crawling. Keeping her eyes closed, she sniffed the air and coughed, her face wrinkled.

Smoke? Her eyes flew open as she sat up, her eyes wide as she was sitting in the middle of the burning apartment. Flames spread wildly around her as she stared terrified at the mask of Slade, a few feet away from her. Looking around desperately she coughed as the flames licked at the furniture, the walls were melting. "NO!" She screamed and snapped her eyes shut, reopening them, she found she was in the familiar realms of her mind.

Slade. Madame Rouge. The apartment and the bomb. It was making sense. She remembered what had happened, but how long had she been out? Her eyes widened. "Beast Boy?" She hollered, looking around, she only saw her familiar emotion Rage standing a few feet away from her. Wrists were shackled to chains that linked to the ground, her blood red cape fanned out around her, her four blood red eyes staring at Raven with a wicked smile on her face.

"Hey Ravie, long time no see." Rage growled as she lifted at the unmoving chains. "What's with this?" She yanked at the chains, sending clanging sounds ricocheting into Raven's mind.

Raven ignored her emotion, turning her back on her and looking around. "Where are the others?" She said her eyes narrowing as she stood up on shaking legs. "Where is Beast Boy? How did I get here without my mirror?"

"You want to know?" Rage questioned, her voice deeper then the other emotions. When Raven nodded Rage let out a bellowing laugh. "he's dead." She smirked maliciously.

"Stop it." Knowledge appeared suddenly in front of Raven and Rage. "Who left you here with her alone?"

"Who do you think?" Rage hissed. "The dumb-ass lollipop said she heard something and went off to find out what it was."

"That's enough." Knowledge glared at Rage who howled in response. Raven shivered at her animalistic emotion. "Come on." Knowledge said and lead Raven away from the hysterical Rage who was roaring and shaking the chains in protest of her imprisonment.

"You wait, Raven." Rage growled. "One day I'm going to be free and you won't be able to stop me!" Were the last words, along with a malicious cackle, Raven heard of Rage when Knowledge lead her in a different part of her mind.

"I don't think so." Raven whispered as she walked to the inner circle of her mind, where her emotions were.

* * *

"Rob, man I can't reach them." Cyborg's voice sounded over the communicator.

"What do you mean?" Robin demanded angrily.

"I mean," Cyborg responded just as angrily as Robin did. "That there is no signal. I've tried all five of them man, and not one of the Titan's East is there. It's just- static." Cyborg explained painfully.

"This is not happening again." Robin murmured, panic ceasing him.

"Robin?" Starfire.

"Star?" Robin asked, looking at the worried face of Starfire.

"Robin, I am worried, I received a distorted message from our friend Hot Spot. It sounded like he was in trouble." Starfire explained, flying high over the city.

"Did you find his location?" Robin asked, hopeful that she had.

"I didn't have a chance to talk to him, the line then went dead." Starfire explained sadly. "Robin- I think-"

"Not now, keep looking for that bomb. I'll try to get hold of the other Titans." Robin said and shoved the communicator in his belt.

* * *

"Get the Titan's on the line!" Bumble Bee screamed at Speedy as she shot sparks at Cinderblock.

"I'm a little _busy_." Speedy grit his teeth as he shot two arrows at Chesire, who swiped at them easily, charging forward at him with her arms outstretched.

"I don't care who the hell calls them, tell them we need back up!" Bumble Bee yelled as Cinderblock hit her, sending her flying back as Aqualad sent a wave of water at him, knocking him off his feet. Then he quickly turned and sent a wave at Punk Rocket, who dodged and laughed.

Mas and Menos ran circles around Punk Rocket who beat out a chord, sending energy waves at the two, separating them as Chesire held her hands to Mas' throat. The others tensed while Cinderblock grabbed hold of an surprised Speedy as he was reaching for his communicator. Cinderblock grabbed the communicator and smashed in under his feet as he growled. Punk Rocket turned some knobs on his guitar and nodded to the other two. He hit a chord with frequency's so high, the Titan's east felt their communicators burst in their pockets.

"What should we do with these losers?" Punk Rocket asked as Chesire whipped her foot to make contact with Aqualad's jaw. "Oh yeah, my bad." Punk Rocket smiled as he slammed his guitar over Bumble Bee and Menos' head, knocking them out.

* * *

"Brother! Contact the Titans! We need their help!" Lightning instructed as General Immortus' army marched forward, sending radioactive beams from their guns. Thunder grunted as he slammed his hands together, sending a wave of energy towards the army, but only a few were knocked down. As Thunder brought the communicator to his face, it was shot out of his hand, fizzing and exploding on the ground near his feet as he looked at General Immortus, who had a smug smile across his old features.

"I think we're in trouble brother." Thunder commented as lightning streaked violently across the sky.

"It's a trap." Lightning's eyes narrowed as the robots pressed forward. "Brother, we fell into it."

* * *

"The Titans' beat you once before," Hot Spot breathed heavily as the flames in his arms were dimming. "And they will do it again." Hot Spot and Madame Rouge stood a good few feet apart, glaring at each other after the fight that took place a moment ago.

Madame Rouge chuckled. "Really? That is quite comical, considering two Titans are already dead and three honorary were killed earlier today. And more are being destroyed as we speak." her eyebrows rose slightly as the cocky smirk on her face never faltered.

"You're insane." He hissed at her and she smiled.

"I may be. But that is not certain." She said nonchalantly. "But one thing _is _for certain now. You're going to die." She smiled and lunged forward, fists balled and eyes blazing like fire.

* * *

"Lightning! Thunder! Damn it, answer." Robin hissed as his R Cycle zoomed into the streets of Jump City. It was happening again. The villains were picking off the superheros one by one and there was nothing Robin could do about it. He wanted to help his comrades but the fate of the United States was in his hands. And the people of this country were more important then the lives of just a few superheroes. "Damnit." He hissed and took a deep, ragged breath.

There was no way he was going to be able to save everyone, he concluded, closing his eyes. He wouldn't be able to save his comrades and the United States, not both.

"Raven? Beast Boy? Come in. Come on." Cyborg urged angrily as he sped down the streets of Jump City in his T Car. "Damn it B, answer!" He hollered as his eyes quickly glanced at the scanner, it showed small traces of uneasy chemicals, but nothing that would be in a Chronotron detonator. "Where could they have hidden it?" He questioned, his eyes looking to the road.

* * *

"I do hope we find it." Starfire said to herself, her hands glowing green as she flew through the sewer systems. Rats squeaked on the landings as she quickly went past them. _Hidden deep inside Jump City_. She remembered the words Slade had spoken to them. The logical explanation would be deep, where the water was deep, the sewer, or the ocean, but Cyborg scanned the surrounding oceans and there were no traces of radioactivity there. It had to be somewhere, they wouldn't be lying about something of this magnitude.

"Don't get your skirt in a tizzy, sister-_dear_." A malicious voice echoed from behind Starfire.

Her eyes widened as she spun around, floating ominously in the filthy sewer. "Blackfire?" Low and behold, Blackfire had a smirk plastered on her face as her deep purple clothing reeked of evil. "what are you doing here?"

"Honestly Star, are you that naive? I'm with the bad guys." She pouted and shot a dirty look at Starfire. "I thought you'd be smart enough to figure it out for yourself."

"Why?" Starfire asked, confused.

"Because." Blackfire snapped. "You always got what you wanted."

Starfire was about to protest but Blackfire raged on. "You got everything that _I _wanted." She seethed, holding back tears. "You got a home, people who wanted you there, a guy who _loves_ you. Earth people adore you." Her hands flickered purple. "You got everything I wanted."

"Sister, you were the Queen of Tameran. Mother and Father loved you most!" Starfire protested. "They loved you more!" Tears sprung to her eyes.

"That doesn't matter! This is about you and me now sister. To finally prove who's better." Blackfire's hands grew brighter.

"But this has nothing to do with who is better! Don't you care that millions of people will die because you want to beat me?" Starfire was almost in tears as she saw her sisters glaze flicker. "They most likely won't include you in anything other then this. You'll be forgotten."

"Shut up!" Blackfire glared at her younger sister. "You don't know anything you goody-goody." She hissed as tears came to her eyes. "You have no idea what it's like."

"Sister, you could be good, you can just leave and not do this." Starfire pleaded. "You will be a hero. To me at least."

Blackfire paused a moment. "I don't care about _you_." She cried and purple fire bolts shot from her hands in the direction of Starfire. "Don't run from me sister, we finish this _now." _blackfire flew after Starfire as she zipped in the sewer system, dodging waterfalls of murky water.

Starfire quickly hid behind a smelly waterfall of sewer water, breathing heavily, tears springing to her eyes. She had fought her sister many times before, but this time was different somehow. Blackfire had always been deranged when it came to her jealousy. Starfire gulped and turned her head slighty and was met by the stinging flame of one of Blackfire's star bolts in her upper left arm. She hissed when she shot bolts from her eyes in Blackfire's general direction.

"Missed." Blackfire's voice hissed when she rammed her shoulder into Starfire's back, crashing them both into the opposing wall. Blackfire floated with a satisfied smirk on her face, waiting for the debris to clear. "Stupid." She mumbled as the debris cleared and Starfire wasn't there. Her eyes widened and she spun around, met with a roundhouse kick to the jaw. She shrieked and flew backwards.

"I don't want to fight you sister."

"Aw, that's sweet." A small stream of blood fell from Blackfire's mouth, she wiped it away with the back of her wrist. "But, I do."

Starfire swallowed as Blackfire's glare bore into her. "It's going to be to the death, sister dear."

Starfire bit her lip, nodding. "Fine." As soon as the words left her lips a barrage of star bolts came down on her and she quickly flew out of the way. Sending a huge bolt, it his Blackfire in the leg, but she kept coming at Starfire, her purple eyes filled with rage.

"AH!" She yelled as more firebolts came from her hands as she thrust her arm forward. Starfire dodged and her green hand connected with Blackfire's chest and she gagged. Blackfire's eyes going wide and the purple fading as she chocked. She punched Starfire weakly in the jaw as she dropped to the sewer floor, making a splash in the water as Starfire quickly swooped down and knelt by her sister. Blackfire was wheezing as her hands were shaking towards Starfire.

"I'm sorry." Starfire said, tears in her eyes. "I am very, very sorry sister." She said as she put a hand to Blackfire's shaking head.

"I h-hate you." She hissed as tears were in her wide eyes. She stopped shaking and Starfire held in a sob as she closed her sister's eyes, flying quickly out of the sewer.

"Robin." She blinked back tears. "It's not in the sewer." She quickly closed her communicator and broke up to the city streets.

* * *

(A/n: this chapter was awful and I'm sorry for the wait, I'm not as interested in this as I was in the beginning so give feed back and tell me if you want to continue or if I Should just start something else... I don't think action is my forte...

swn)


	3. Chapter 3

(A/N: Shit, its been a long time...I'm not dead. I know it's been forever... O song this chapter is from Heroes and Thieves by Vanessa Carlton and LANGUAGE will be stronger from here on out, if there is any more of this)

_

* * *

_

It seems like I'm getting closer somehow,

_Thank you for believing in me now._

* * *

"WHEEEEEE!" Happy hollered happily as they walked through an omnious looking archway in Raven's mind. "I can not tell you how much I LOVE you!" Happy said and looked back at him as she skipped happily along. "You are such a gentlemen, holding doors for Raven, holding Raven, buying books for Raven, kissing Rav- Oh wait." Happy stopped, pondering. "those were Raven's fantasies, never mind." She said happily as she continued skipping.

Beast Boy blushed. "Uh...?"

"We're here!" She said happily as suddenly, dozens of different colored Raven's were all congregated in a group a few feet ahead. They seemed to be forming a circle around something, he noticed because when he approached they all stepped away.

"I suppose this must be your crap." Rude mumbled as another emotion elbowed her in the side.

"What? Where is Raven?"

"Azar, is that all you can say?" Rude snapped again, scratching her thigh. "This is definitely your stuff... You can't get over her yet?" Rude kicked something lightly.

Beast Boy looked down and saw there was a pile of things in a pile around Raven's emotions. The small dinosaur figurine his parents had given him, the framed picture of him and Raven, and the crumpled picture of Terra, his wallet and one of Raven's spell books. "How did it get here?" He questioned, gently picking the things up.

"I did it."

Beast Boy spun around. "Raven!" He cried as his Raven was behind him, he embraced her quickly and spun her around. "God Raven, I was so scared." He said into her hair as she hugged him back.

"I'm sorry."

"How'd we get here, Raven?"

She looked at him. "I don't know...It was subconscious reaction? I don't know." She said softly. "With the bomb, I just-" Raven shrugged.

Beast Boy sighed. "I'm so glad you're okay." He hugged her tightly.

She squeezed him gently and closed her eyes for a minute.

"We gotta get out of here Rae, Robin needs our help. We have to tell him Slade is behind this." He pulled away from her, eyeing her emotions warily.

"How do we-" She stopped for a moment, the thought of her friends not being alive left her mind.

"Get us out of here." He touched her cheek softly.

She took a look at the barren landscape that was her mind. "Azerath, Metrion, Zinthos."

* * *

Starfire threw up in the nearby trash can as she came up from the sewer. Tears and vomit combined at her chin as she shook her head. She never wanted- she never wanted for this to happen to her. She didn't care whoever saw her, all she wanted was for the awful feeling to leave her.

She hated herself.

What kind of horrible monster could kill their sister?

_"Starfire, you thoroughly scanned the sewer?"_ she didn't respond to Robin's page._ "Starfire, come in Star...."_

"No." She replied, her voice devoid of any emotion. "It is not there," She sniffed.

"_Are you su-"_ Robin's voice started.

"I'm sure... Don't make me go back Robin." She whispered, holding in a sob.

_"All right Star, I hope you're okay."_

"Me too." She answered to herself. She flew up in the sky. She would find this detonator, for Beast Boy and Raven, she would do it.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"God damn it." Cyborg was driving in the T-Car. Fires were everywhere in the city, alarms to various shops were wailing as the broken glass from their windows was strew across the sidewalks and streets. "This is fucking ridiculous." He hissed.

Suddenly a man with a ski mask ran in front of the car. Cyborg stomped on the brakes. "SHIT! What the hell do you think you're doing?!" Cyborg screamed.

"Watch where the fuck your driving, pit sniffer."

Realization hit Cyborg. "Damn it!" He shouted as the ski masked Gizmo pulled out a laser gun and shot at the car. He got out of the car as fast as he could and felt the heat from the explosion on the back of his neck.

"This is your last warning shit head." Gizmo laughed as he ran away. "Last warning!" He shouted.

"I'm going to kill that little-" He started as he stood up. "Robin- Come on Rob, pick up."

_"What is it?"_ Robin's frantic voice answered.

"There's more of them then we think."

_"What do you mean?"_

"More villians, this is fucking _repeating _what happed a couple years ago Robin! They're grouping up together and they're stronger this time." Cyborg through up his arms. "What are we going to do man?"

_"I don't know."_

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

"God Rae, that hurts." Beast Boy held his chest as they materialized back to the real world.

She stared out at the street and put a finger to her lips. The two slowly inched their way to the street. Fire burned multiple buildings and criminals were running all over the street, a two dead cops lay next to their cop car outside a jewelry shop.

"What the hell?" Beast Boy breathed. "How long have we been gone?"

"I don't think very long... Do you have your communicator?" She questioned, looking up at Beast Boy.

He patted himself down. "No I don't," They were still dressed in normal clothes, they still looked normal. Maybe they could make it to the Tower without being noticed.

"Let's try and get to the tower. I don't think I can transport us there, I haven't meditated in a while." She looked up at him questioningly.

"Looks like we'll have to do it the old fashioned way. Run." He said and the two made a break for it across the city. "Stick to the alleyways." He breathed.

"Oh, I don't think so, Titans." A deep accented voice came from behind them.

"Rouge." Raven dreaded that this super villian had caught her at her weakest.

"You thought you would go unnoticed? Even with the city in pandemonium, I thought more of you." She stepped in front of them. They were faced off, Beast Boy and Raven on the west side of the street, Rouge on the east.

Raven and Rouge stared off as Beast Boy spoke. "Guess we're not as sharp as we once were. Sorry," He shrugged, inching his way in front of Raven.

"That's what this little vacation did, did it not?" Her smile was twisted, sick-like.

"How did you know about that?" Raven pressed, repeating her chant over and over again in her head, hoping to distract Madame Rouge as long as she could so she could get enough power.

Laughing, she cocked her head to the side. "Who do you think put you on this vacation?"

"The Mayor was behind this too?" Beast Boy shook his head.

"For a while," Rouge's w's sounded like v's. "It cost us a hefty price, but, he's dead now." She smiled wickedly.

"And the designer, too?"

"No, those two bumbling idiots where too stupid, we left them out of it, they know nothing. I am deeply sorry for having to put you through this, killing you." She was moving to their right, kicking up stones.

"Why? What's your plan?"

"You know nothing of the Chronotron detonator?" The two titan's silence confirmed her question. Laughing, Madame Rouge continued. "Hidden in Jump City, a Chronotron detonator that will stop time forever in all of the United States and Mexico."

"Then what is the purpose of killing us then?" Beast Boy questioned, not looking back at Raven, who he hoped was gathering all of her energy.

"For fun. Speaking of which, let's get this over with, shall we?"

"Raven..." Beast Boy whispered, swallowing hard.

"I got it," Beast Boy stepped to the side quickly as Madame Rouge charged at the two. Eyes glowing white, Raven's mantra left her lips.

"Azerath, Metrion," A beam of dark energy wrapped around Rouge's throat, stopping her in her tracks. Fear was present in Rouge's eyes. "Zinthos." Rouge fell limp to the ground, her neck snapped by Raven's dark energy.

"Jesus Christ," Beast Boy stroked his neck. "Let's get back to the Tower, before anything else happens." He put an arm around Raven, he knew she didn't want to have to do that.

"I won't be able to stop anything else, Beast Boy." She looked up at him solemly. He nodded, understanding the pressure she felt.

"I got the next one."

* * *

(A/N: Yeah, it's been decades. And this is super short, but whatever, probably the last for this story. I don't know what the future holds, but with Teen Titans being off the air for however long it's been... The muse is just not there. Sorry. Review please, haha, that still makes me feel good.

Swn.)


	4. Chapter 4

(A/N: Seriously, I don't know how or why I'm writing this, but I know there's a few of you still out there who read my crap *laughs*. Thank GOD for winter breaks because college is soo much more work than people prepared me for… I hope you guys enjoy this!)

* * *

_Don't you know I suffer?_

"Cyborg, have you found anything yet?" Robin pressed as he raced through the city; his mouth and throat dry, aching for water. There were still a few pockets of people left around. Mostly people had left the city after the super villains took control, knowing that the shit was going to hit the fan. He passed an alley where a few people were hiding desperately, he didn't want to have to stop and hear the citizens of Jump City begging him for good news, begging him to save them.

The truth sat like a bowling ball in his stomach; he didn't know if he _could_ save them, he could barely save himself and his team.

Static responded and Robin's stomach dropped. _"No."_ Finally answered and the oxygen returned to Robin's lungs. _"But that little shit for brains BLEW UP MY CAR!"_ Cyborg's voice sounded distant.

Robin sighed in temporary relief that Cyborg was alright. "Keep looking; we have to find this thing." Robin spoke through grit teeth.

_"Yeah, I know, it's just- shit- I feel vulnerable out here Rob…"_

"…I know the feeling." Robin replied, his eyes scanning the road before him. Jump City looked like a ghost town, fires were everywhere, abandoned cars with the doors wide open stranded carelessly everywhere. He pushed down the fear that was creeping up his spine.

_"Maybe we shouldn't have split up…"_

Robin couldn't help but feel that Cyborg was right about that. "Just keep looking."

* * *

After Cyborg stopped talking to Robin, an uneasy feeling set in to his gut. It didn't help that he was completely out in the open and flying solo on this mission. His instinct told him to just go back to the tower, ignore this whole fucked up situation, but he was in this now… it was literally life and death. He would never tell Robin that he was scared… terrified, actually.

Cyborg needed to save Jump City, the Teen Titans were the only hope for the country now… Smoke burned his nostrils as he eyed his Chronotron scanner on his arm. It was flat, like a dead man's pulse. He scanned the road before him; smoke blackened the sky, crimson light licked the tops of buildings as the fires spread, buildings collapsed into themselves. The whole entire city was destroyed.

"You guys shouldn't have split up." The familiar female voice behind him made him stop dead in his tracks.

"You're probably right about that…" He answered reluctantly, his voice tight as he turned around to face the Hive Five.

"It's frustrating that I didn't kill you earlier, _shit face_," Gizmo countered, his arms crossed and a smug grin on his face.

Cyborg glared at the three former colleagues. At a loss for better words, he sighed. "Why are you guys doing this?" Cyborg eyed Mammoth uneasily.

"We're sick and tired of losing, that's all," Jinx stared at him with her eerie pink eyes, her head tilting to the side.

"What happened to Kid Flash?"

That struck a nerve. "How do you know about that?" She hissed, her eyes narrowing. Her two teammates exchanged confused glances.

Cyborg shrugged in response. "So if you're sick of losing…. Why come fight me?" He couldn't help but smirk.

Mammoth chuckled. "Funny."

"You're with The Brain on this one?" Cyborg questioned, his eyes never leaving the three before him.

"How'd you guess that one, Dip Shit?" Gizmo sneered as the other two smiled.

"Yes, we are," Jinx replied.

Trying to buy time, Cyborg settled with a tactic that Robin used most frequently. Distracting them with the truth. "You know that once you've 'defeated me', The Brain will forget about you."

Jinx's eyes narrowed, she and Mammoth studied him intently.

"Once we're- the Titans, once we're gone," Cyborg took a step back tentatively, "So will you three."

"Shut up." Gizmo snapped. "You don't think we see what you're trying to do? You think if you feed us shit, that we'll have a fucking epiphany and realize that we should be friends with a snot-muncher like you?"

"Nothing you'll say will change our minds…" Jinx smirked at him. Mammoth grunted in reply.

Cyborg didn't miss a beat. "Really? Well, why don't you guys go talk to Johnny Rancid or, uh, what was his- oh, Kid Rocket?"

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Mammoth grunted, thrusting his chin up in defiance.

"Just that when their 'Phase' was done…. So were they."

There was just a second too long of a pause that let Cyborg know he was in. HE was amazed that something he completely grasped out of thin air had worked so well for him. "How would you possibly know that?" Jinx demanded. "There's no way you could have known that…"

"Really? Why don't you call them up? Huh, or aren't you guys allowed to talk to one another?" Cyborg had progressively distanced himself quite a bit from the Hive Five. He knew he could take one, possibly two of them at a time… but with all three against him and the Hive possibly having a game plan… he couldn't risk it.

"Call them." Gizmo chuckled confidently.

"…But-" Jinx eyed Gizmo and Cyborg respectively.

"_Do it."_ Gizmo seethed at her. "Who cares what that brain in a jar says…"

There was a slight fear in Jinx and Mammoth's eyes as Jinx pulled out a small communication device. "Come in Johnny Rancid, Johnny Rancid, come in…."

Silence answered Jinx. "Johnny Rancid, come in, Johnny Rancid…"

Again silence. Cyborg was shocked that actually worked, he had just pulled Johnny Rancid and Kid Rocket's name out of his ass, hoping it would buy him enough time to get away.

"Try Kid Rocket," Gizmo demanded again, his eyes never leaving Cyborg.

"Kid Rocket, come in Kid Rocket…. Kid Rocket," Jinx pressed and this time static responded. Her eyes widened as she looked at Cyborg who smirked at her in response.

"I told you so…" Cyborg was baffled, but he would never let the Hive Five see it.

"No, NO," Jinx shook her head. "They told us…. What's-?"

"Shut it," Gizmo yelled at her. "Try someone else… What about that bitch Blackfire?"

Cyborg's eyebrows shot up. Blackfire was in on this too? Starfire would be devastated when she found out her sister was with the super villains.

"Nothing from her either…" The fear was evident in Jinx's eyes. "Gizmo-" She pressed.

"No, it's nothing, they're probably just busy!" Gizmo was angry. "There is no way this snot-muncher could know any of that!"

"I don't know-" Mammoth started, standing behind Jinx.

"What the hell do you know, you moron?"

Mammoth's nostril's flared.

"I'm out." Jinx finally spoke and Cyborg's eyes widened.

"WHAT?" Gizmo roared. "What do you mean, you're out?"

"I don't want to die… I don't want to lose." Jinx shook her head. "They don't really need us anyway, we were just supposed to get rid of him," She jabbed her thumb towards the Titan. "I'd rather just run now."

"What if it's just a coincidence?" Mammoth questioned. Cyborg readied himself for a fight, charging his sonic canon and other mechanisms.

"I'd rather be safe than sorry when it comes to The Brain…" Jinx shrugged. "You two can stay, I'm leaving."

"You fucking chicken," Gizmo spat, glaring at his teammate.

"Maybe," She shrugged and turned away from them, "Good luck," She spoke and ran down the alley from which they came.

"Well, I guess it's just you and me…" Gizmo looked to his other teammate.

"I don't know… Jinx has a point…"

"Not you, too!" Gizmo threw his arms in the air. "This is our chance to be in the big leagues and you're blowing it!"

"I think I'm with Jinx on this one…"

"You're kidding me."

Mammoth shrugged in reply, eyeing Cyborg. "This end of the world shit…" He shook his head. "I'm using our plane to go to Europe for now…"

"Damn it!" Gizmo roared. "Then just get the hell outta here! I'll finish him." Gizmo's attention turned back to Cyborg. "I'll finish the job…"

"Giz-" Mammoth started and he backed up.

"Leave," Gizmo turned his back to his teammate and glared at Cyborg. "Who needs you anyway?"

Mammoth sighed and turned to follow Jinx down the street.

"Well, it looks like it's just you and me, huh?" Cyborg locked gazes with Gizmo, whose mechanical backpack shot metal spider legs out of it, hoisting Gizmo in the air.

"You shit heads really shouldn't have split up," Gizmo smiled evilly at Cyborg.

Cyborg activated his sonic canon, the blue light glowing threateningly at the single Hive Five member. "I guess you're right,"

The two charged at each other, a score to settle. It was Gizmo who killed his friend Samantha from the car shop. Cyborg wanted revenge as he shot at Gizmo, whose jetpack shot him up in the air, out of the range of fire.

"Get down here you little shit," Cyborg yelled through grit teeth.

"Ooh, someone's angry…" The villain giggled.

"And someone's a little punk ass who kills innocent people."

"Are you still upset about that stupid girl? I mean, she wasn't your girlfriend was she, lug nuts?" Gizmo sneered as he shot a small bomb that Cyborg dodged. An idea popped into his head and he ran down the city street.

"Come back here you shit head!" Gizmo followed him.

"It doesn't matter; she was my friend and didn't know anything about all this shit until you killed her!" Cyborg roared, jumping up and grabbing one of Gizmo's feet when he swooped too low to the grown. Gizmo let out a yelp as Cyborg threw him into the ground.

"Get over it," Gizmo retaliated by shooting out a spiked net that caught Cyborg momentarily before he ripped it off of him. The spikes ripped into the flesh part of his arm and it drew blood.

"Where's the detonator?" Cyborg demanded as there was a slight pause in the battle.

"Like I'd tell you," Gizmo spat, blood dripped from his mouth.

"Like they'd tell you, right?" Cyborg laughed.

Gizmo glowered at Cyborg, he jumped up, his jetpack starting and he flew towards the Titan, fire in his eyes. Cyborg backed up, and thrust his arm into the fire hydrant next to him. He crashed off the side of it which spewed water into the newly made hole in the earth that was caused by one of Gizmo's bombs.

Cyborg knew how this fight was going to end; one of them wouldn't walk away from it. He knew what he had to do to save himself and the people of Jump City. Cyborg knew that Gizmo wouldn't stop until Cyborg was dead; that was the only way Cyborg could justify what he was about to do in his head.

He grabbed Gizmo out of the air and slammed him into the crater in the street that was filling with water. A sickening pop exploded, Cyborg knew he had electrocuted Gizmo when Gizmo's body started to convulse, Cyborg held the villains head into the hole. Gizmo protested, his arms and legs flailing, but Cyborg held him down.

"God," Cyborg shook his head as after a few moments, the flailing stopped. Cyborg removed his hands from the body slowly and fell back in shock. He stared at Gizmo; his head still face down in the filling hole of water. Cyborg took a few breaths, he'd- he'd never done something like this…

He didn't know how long he had sat there; whether it had been a few minutes or hours. But Cyborg finally stood up and looked at his Chronotron detecting screen on his arm, the lines giving no indication that there was any chronotron in his sector.

"Rob?" He lifted his communicator to his mouth.

_"Did you find anything?"_ His seemingly fearless leader's voice answered him.

"I just checked my sector, nothing." He closed his eyes for a brief moment. The magnitude of what he had done was beginning to sink in. His skin tingled with goose bumps, despite the fires looming around him and the sweat that was dripping down his nose.

_"Alright, I'm finishing up here… good work, Cyborg,"_ Robin sounded distant over the communicator.

Cyborg closed his communicator and looked up at the sky, exhaling. "What's the price that I have to pay to save this city?" He murmured, swallowing the metaphorical rock that was in his throat. He was a long way from the Tower, but, "Fuck it," He said and turned in the direction of the Tower, the giant T not even visible from where he was.

* * *

(A/N: yeah… I realized about halfway through sortof editing this… there is like, no BBXRae at all. Meh, but there will be in the next chapter… if I ever finish this story… At this rate I update a chapter a year hahahaha. I hope you all enjoy this chapter, I wrote it in one sit! OH, and please excuse any mistakes, I couldn't remember if Mammoth spoke or what he talked like or really anything, so for those of you who still read this, Enjoy!)

swn


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